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GoPro HD Helmet Hero - Preliminary Review

I had the privilege of testing the new GoPro HD Helmet HERO camera at this years Crankworx in Whistler, BC. Justin from GoPro parted with this jewel and let me film my run on "Crank it Up" top to bottom while he was following me to make sure I don't conveniently disappear with not yet released GoPro HD HERO cam. The video quality is outstanding, but unfortunately we can't show it off yet without the official permission from GoPro.They want us to keep it under cover until the camera is released soon. This is torture!

October 27th Update:

Nov 1st Update:

TrueHD 1080p Camera

When GoPro surprised every one at the outdoor retailer show in July 2009 with the unveiling of their up and coming GoPro HD Helmet HERO, the action sports forums and blogs were buzzing with excitement.

New Features

The GoPro HD Helmet Hero features three new amazing recording resolutions: 1080p (1980 x 1080), 960p (1280 x 960) and 720p (1280 x 720). At 1080p and 960p resolution video is captured at 30 fps, while at its lowest 720p resolution video can be captured at 60 fps, letting users play back video in slow motion so often desired in action sports videos. Even the lowest resolution is as high as the best video captured by other brands. Videos are encoded using the popular and high quality H.264 video compression format before being stored on the standard SDHC memory cards. The video quality is so good that I could see the individual blades of grass on each side of the trail as I was riding down at full speed.

The new GoPro HD camera retains the previous versions popular wide angle 170 degree lens, small size, waterproof case, 5 mega pixel still photo capabilities while upgrading many of the older components under the hood.

A major improvement is the rechargeable lithium-ion battery that will easily provide up to 3 hours of recording. Big thumbs up over the AAA batteries required to power the standard GoPro Hero Wide Cameras. There is an internal heating system to keep the battery warm and extending its life during winter use.

Another big leap forward is the support of up to 32GB SDHC cards to store more than eight hours of HD video. No more constant swapping of those 2GB cards.

Mounting Options and Accessories

Other enhancements include audible and brighter visual indicators to convey the camera's operational status. An external power source (custom battery attachment) will also be available to keep the camera going beyond it's rechargeable battery life.

With all of its new capabilities the camera is only 1.6 x 2.4 x 1.2 inches is size (slightly booger than a matchbox) and weighs 6.3 ounces complete with battery and waterproof case. only slightly bigger than GoPro's previous models.